He Has You
by Stalker Fudge
Summary: Set sometime after The Hunting Party. Kate and Jack are together now. Kate is sick and Sawyer knows why. Kate always has had to learn everything the hard way. Begins as Jate. But is very SKATE.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: He Has You  
Rating: PG-13  
Time Slot: A couple months after The Hunting Party.  
Disclaimer: I don't own Lost.  
Pairing: Sawyer/Kate (But warning, it starts off with a bit of Jate.)  
Summary: Kate and Jack are together now. Kate is sick and Sawyer knows why. Kate always has had to learn everything the hard way.

* * *

Kate closed her eyes. She held onto her stomach as the world spun and she had to lean forward as she threw up behind the tree again. _Where was he?_ Kate gripped the tree and tried to pull herself to her feet. **

Kate closed her eyes. She held onto her stomach as the world spun and she had to lean forward as she threw up behind the tree again. Kate gripped the tree and tried to pull herself to her feet. 

_Big mistake._

Her stomach lurched again and she fell to her knees with an involentary sob. She sighed and tried to stand up again. She felt horrid, but standing on her own two feet, she leaned on the tree looking for a mellon or anything she could eat.

"Real nice Jack, dissapearing at a time like this." Kate saw something on the ground. Smiling, she leaned over and grabbed the banana. "Alright, time to eat."

"You been eatin' an awful lot lately Freckles."

"What do you want Sawyer?" Kate sighed. Sawyer walked into view, watching the woman move back so she was sitting against a tree.

"I'm just out for a walk Sweetcheeks. No need to get your panties in a twist." Kate shook her head.

"I see you're still just as much of a pig as you ever were." Sawyer feighned a look of pain at Kate's comment.

"Golly Freckles, that hurt." He smiled, showing off his dimples. "It really did."

"Why don't you just go and leave me alone?" Kate nibbled on the banana, then immeaditaly regretted eating at all. She turned around and threw up again.

But something was different. This time, her hair was being held back. She turned back and leaned against the tree, noticing that Sawyer had come up behind her.

"What was that all about?" Kate looked surprised at the man behind her. _What is he doing?_

"Just trying to be supportive mum." Kate took a sharp intake of breath.

"What did you just call me?"

"What? I can't really call you Mamacita. Claire has that nickname. And she was the mom first." Kate shook her head.

"Sawyer... I'm not pregnant." Kate bit her lip, fear in her eyes as Sawyer shook his head.

"As much as I'd love that to be true..." Sawyer looked into her eyes, his pain was clearly evident in his gaze. "You been comin out here for three mornings straight and throwing up. You eat all the time, and when you don't eat for awhile, you get even worse stomach problems." He paused. "And you're always dizzy. It don't take a doctor to figure it out Kate." Sawyer paused. "But it seems that there's a doctor around who hasn't figured it out yet."

"Sawyer... don't..."

"Where is he Kate?" Kate shook her head.

"I don't know."

"Well Daddy isn't really hangin' round much right now is he?" Sawyer cocked his head to the side.

"I don't know what that's supposed to mean but..."

"Things have changed Kate." Kate stood up, ignoring the feeling of diziness that overtook her. She shook her head.

"I should go."

"Why?" Kate looked down at Sawyer, not being able to think of a lie in her current state. Or maybe, just not wanting to lie to him.

"Cuz I just can't be around you Sawyer. I don't wanna hurt him." She looked deep into Sawyer's eyes. "And we both know that if I stay with you right now, I'll end up doing something that will hurt him." Kate closed her eyes. Sawyer looked up at her.

"Yeah... I know." He stood up and brushed his finger over her lips.

"Sawyer..." Sawyer lifted up his water bottle to her lips and she took a drink. He brushed back a few strands of hair that clung to her face.

"Kate, just... just don't say anything." Sawyer put the cover back on his water and held it in his left hand. His eyes searched over her entire body. His face was filled with sorrow. "He has you..." Sawyer shook his head, anger at Jack boiling up again. "He has you and he's not even taking care of you..." Sawyer blinked back angry tears.

"Sawyer..." Kate reached up and stroked the side of his face. She slipped her arm behind his head and pulled herself closer to his body. Sawyer felt her movements and cupped her face with his right hand. His left hand dropped the water bottle and placed itself on her lower back.

As their lips met, time froze. Their lips melted together and everything that they had been through the last couple of months dissapeared. Nothing mattered but them. Sawyer's tounge slid over Kate's lips and she opened her mouth, letting their tounges meet, tasting eachother. Kate moaned into Sawyer's mouth and he groaned.

Kate pulled away quickly, looking up at Sawyer. His eyes showed his undeniable longing for her.

"Sawyer, I can't do this."

"Kate..."

"I'm with Jack." He shook his head.

"Do you love him?"

"What?"

"Do you love Jack?" Kate looked confused by his question. "If you love Jack, I'll drop it. I'll walk away from you and that'll be it. No more chase, no more flirting, I'll leave you alone." He paused. "If that's what you really want."

"I... I uh..." Kate shook her head. "I don't... _love_ Jack." She backed up a bit. "But I can't do this to him." She turned around, unable to look at him again, for fear of what might happen.

"Don't go Kate." His voice was different. Pleading, and even full of need. She closed her eyes, letting tears slip down her face.

"I'm sorry Sawyer. I wish I could stay..." With that, she walked away from him, still unable to look back at his face. So she never saw the broken man she had left behind her.

* * *

**TBC**


	2. Chapter 2

Kate walked back into the dark cave and sat down. Jack wasn't back yet. Of course. He was never there anymore. Not during the day. She buried her face in her hands and began to cry.

--- Flashback to Island ---

Kate sat in her tent, her hands shaking. She had just woken up with another nightmare. It was about the other night again. She kept feeling the cold nozzle on the back of her neck and the fear in her heart as she heard him count down. He would've killed her. Jack had saved her life.

But he had hesitated. Kate shook her head. She knew he wanted to get to Michael, but there wasn't even the slightest clue to say Michael would have came back, even if he was caught up with. She knew that she shouldn't have followed them, but it was in her blood. And she couldn't believe that Jack had seriously considered letting her die.

"Why?" Kate's voice echoed in the air and she picked up her toy airplane and chucked it across the tent. Tears blurred her vision, but she wiped them away. She wasn't going to cry again. She already had cried too much lately.

"Kate?" Kate spun around to see the cause of her anger standing in the entrance to her tent.

"Jack." Kate's voice was a bit cold, but she didn't feel bad. He deserved it after all didn't he? Jack stepped forward.

"Kate…" he paused, unsure how to go on.

"Can I help you Jack?" Kate sighed, annoyed a bit just by the man's presence.

"I'm sorry." Kate looked at Jack confused. Jack decided to continue. "I'm sorry that I let you down. I'm sorry that I hurt you. I never should have even had to think twice about the gun. I love you Kate. I really do and…"

"You love me?" Kate looked into Jack's eyes. She searched for some truth in them.

"Of course… I uh… I thought you knew…" Kate shook her head.

"I knew you had some sort of feelings for me… or… at least I was pretty sure you did." Kate paused. "But love… you really love me Jack?" Jack reached out and took Kate's shoulders in his hands.

"I do Kate. I really do love you." Kate looked into his eyes. Her thoughts ran a million miles an hour.

He loves me. He said so himself. But can I do that to him? I know I don't feel the same way. At least… not for him. Kate looked away. But I can't let myself get taken away by Sawyer. He's a professional. He'll hurt me. I can't stand to be hurt again.

But I can't just use Jack.

"Just give me a chance Kate. I know you don't feel the same way yet, but with time… I think you'll learn to love me too." Kate's eyes filled with tears. Sawyer would be hurt. But she had to make a commitment, before she got in too deep with him. Before she couldn't live without him.

Maybe she could learn to love Jack.

"Alright." She smiled. "You and I then?" Jack nodded.

"We're exclusive?"

"Jack, we're on an island in the middle of nowhere..." Kate chuckled, but Jack just shook his head.

"It just makes me feel safer saying that. You know... so nothing happens..." Kate bit her lip. She knew exactly what he meant. And it ticked her off. She ignoring her anger and reached up, kissing him on the lips quickly.

"Alright Jack. You and me." 

Of course the one thing Kate didn't know at the time, was that Sawyer had been there, just outside the tent the entire time. And what he had overheard killed him.

--- Back to Normal Time ---

Kate looked up, noticing that the sun was starting to sink lower in the sky. She sighed.

Jack would be back soon. And she'd have to tell him about what Sawyer had already guessed.

"This'll be fun." Kate rolled her eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

Sawyer stood up and began to walk back to his tent. He sighed and kicked a tree that stood between him and the path back. He looked up, realizing that he had been there alone for almost half a day and he didn't remember any specific thoughts that had run through his head.

Just her. Her with _him_. His fingers dug at his pant legs.

He didn't deserve her. He was never there for her. He didn't even pick up on the signs that she was pregnant. He was becoming more like the man everyone seemed to think Sawyer would be in a realationship. Sawyer growled.

"I'd be with her. I wouldn't be running around, dissapearing durring the day. It's like all he ever cared about was getting her. And now that he has her..." Sawyer wiped away angry tears. "He doesn't even seem to appriciate her."

Sawyer shook his head and proceded to walk down the path to the beach. Trying as hard as he could to push all thoughts of Jack with her out of his mind. He couldn't go back to the beach looking depressed. He couldn't let anyone see how it upset him.

It wouldn't have been even half as bad if he had found out differently.

---flashback to the island.---

Sawyer saw Kate in her tent and walked towards her smiling.

"Morning Freckles." Kate sighed and turned to him. She had her toy plane in her hand. He looked down at it. "Playing plane this early already?" Kate shook her head.

"Sawyer... you should go." Kate bit her lip, turning back around.

"What?" Sawyer stepped forward. He was confused. She didn't usually shut him out like this. He hadn't even really said anything that bad yet. They had been getting so much closer recently. He had even tried to comfort her when they got back to the beach after Jack walked away.

"Sawyer... just go." She turned back around, looking into his eyes pleadingly. "I can't be around you anymore."

"Why?" Sawyer didn't even try to come up with something witty. He needed to know why she was suddenly so cold towards him. She shook her head.

"I don't think Jack would like seeing us together." Sawyer scoffed.

"Sorry Sweetcheeks but... since when does it matter what Jack-o thinks?" Sawyer crossed his arms, getting ticked off. Kate turned around to face him, looking appologetic.

"He... uh... It matters now." Kate shook her head, walking past him out of her tent. Sawyer wasn't satisfied with that answer. He spun around and grabbed her arm, spinning her around to face him again.

"'Scuse me Freckles? I think I just heard you wrong." Kate shook her head.

"I can't be seen with you. He's a very jealous guy and I don't want to mess things up with him." Kate avoided eye contact with him.

"Of course. Wouldn't want to mess things up with our little Doctor boyfriend would we?" Sawyer noticed Kate's eyes grew glassy.

"No. That's exactly what I'm saying." That hit him like a ton of bricks. He felt like all the air had been squeezed out of him and he closed his eyes. "Sawyer..." When he opened his eyes, he shoved her arm away, sending her away from him. "Sawyer..."

"Go." He shook his head, looking at the plane in her hand. "Go on, go run to your little hero." Kate crossed her arms and nodded.

"So I guess you know I can't see you anymore?" Sawyer looked up at her.

"Doctor's orders?" He noticed that her eyes focused more on her shoes then. Yep, this was Jack's idea. He didn't want them to see eachother anymore.

"I'm moving to the caves." Kate's voice was quiet and soft. Sawyer swallowed hard, then looked up at her.

"Alright then. Don't keep Doc boy waiting. Would hate for you to mess things up with him." His gaze grew even colder. "Would hate for you to go and try to be somethin you're not." Kate turned around and walked off quickly then, no more good-byes.

Sawyer turned around, looking at her empty tent. He sat down on the sand and put a hand on his head.

---Back to Normal Time.---

Sawyer turned a corner and groaned. Before him, stood a person he had no intrest in seeing. He was willing to walk by without a word.

"Hey Sawyer." The uncomfortable greeting from the other man's mouth was an unwelcome gesture.

"Afternoon Doc." Sawyer grumbled. "Where you been?" Jack shook his head.

"Around." Jack looked at Sawyer and crossed his arms.

"Where's Kate?" Sawyer said, his voice full of contempt. He knew all too well that the man before him didn't have a clue as to where Kate was.

"I dunno. The caves probably." Sawyer rolled his eyes. "Not that it's really any of your business." 

"What?" Sawyer didn't feel like getting into it with the doctor, he didn't feel like talking about her, but he couldn't help it.

"Well, if she was with you she would still be clinging to the past." Jack shook his head. "She's letting go. Did ya know that she got rid of the plane?" Sawyer looked up.

"That your idea?" Sawyer's voice was dripping with hatred.

"She has to let go Sawyer. All the memories... all the self-loathing... it's not healthy." Sawyer shook his head.

"But being transformed overnight is?" He stepped forward. "What have you been doing?"

"Excuse me?" Sawyer shook his head.

"You're going to hurt her if you keep this up Jack." Sawyer let his voice drop to a low, threatening whisper. "And when you do... I'm coming after you." Sawyer pushed past Jack, then turned around again. "So stop what you're doing if you wanna live." With that, Sawyer walked off.

"I can't anymore." Jack paused. "It's like a drug..."

---

Sawyer walked back to his tent. He collapsed onto his makeshift bed and sighed.

"Kate..." He reached a hand under his pillow and pulled out a small object. Spinning the toy plane in his hand, he sighed.


	4. Chapter 4

Kate shifted her weight again. Where was he? She stood up, holding onto her stomach and began to pace. Kate sighed, wishing she had the plane with her. She wanted to twist her fingers around it. It was oddly comforting, but Jack couldn't stand her looking at it so much.

---flashback to island.---

Jack walked into the caves and saw Kate sitting with her toy airplane, a solmn look on her face. He sighed, causing her to look up at him.

"Hey Jack. What is it?" Jack rolled his eyes, walking over to where she was.

"The plane Kate. It's the plane."

"What?" Kate was getting really confused.

"That stupid toy plane in your hand. It's always on your mind. It's keeping you away from me Kate." Jack looked up at her. "It's getting in between us." 

"Jack, that sounds completely insane." She paused. "It's just a plane."

"So why do you hang onto it so much? Why do you think you need to cling to your past so tightly? If you don't loosen your grip then you'll never get past it Kate." Kate looked up at the man sitting beside her.

"What do you mean?"

"You said it belonged to the man you..." Jack paused. "And because you won't let yourself get past that, you won't let me in." Kate sighed, looking at the ground.

"It's not that easy Jack."

"Not a lot in life is Kate." Jack looked at her pointedly. "Look, I love you." He paused, standing up. "But if you can't get rid of it... I don't think I can stay around here always coming up second best."

"Jack..." Jack shook his head.

"I wouldn't even bring it up if I thought it could just fade away on it's own Kate. But it won't. The tighter you hold, the more it'll hurt when you let it drop away." Jack sighed. Kate reached out and took his hand.

"I'll get rid of it." Her voice was low and full of tears.

"Now?" Kate nodded.

"Now." Jack pulled Kate up to him and hugged her.

"I love you Kate. Thank you." Kate just stood there, with him holding her, willing the tears not to come.

---

Kate walked to the beach. Jack had offered to come with her, but she declined his offer. She sighed, looking out at the water. She was supposed to throw it in there. That's how she was planning on going about this. She shook her head.

Looking over to Sawyer's tent, she noticed it was empty. Clutching the toy plane in her hand she walked over to his makeshift bed and placed the plastic object on top of it before walking away.

---Back to Normal Time.---

Jack cleared his throat.

"Hi Kate." Kate looked up at him, a little shocked to see him. 

"Where have you been?" Kate looked at the ground. Jack's eyes were full of pain.

"Just out. Helping people you know..." Kate nodded.

"Helping everyone else huh? Never have any time left for me it seems." Jack sighed. 

"Kate..."

"No Jack." Kate sat down. "I'm tired. Let's discuss this later alright?" 

"Kate..."

"Let's discuss this later." Jack sighed and nodded.

"Alright. Later." Kate lay down and pulled the thin blanket over her. Jack watched her closely. "Kate..." He slid down beside her, getting under the blanket as well.

"What?" Kate sighed, angry tears filling her eyes.

"Kate look at me." Kate turned to face Jack. Their eyes met and she sighed. "I love you." He kissed her forehead lightly. "And I'm sorry."

"Alright." Jack sighed.

"How have you been? I feel like we haven't spoken in a long time."

"Jack I..." Kate stopped, she couldn't tell him now. She needed to wait just a bit longer. She sighed and put a hand to the side of his face. She leaned in and placed her lips softly on his.

Suddenly she shot back and drew her knees up close to her chest. A scream of pain errupted from her lips.

"Kate..." Jack put his hands on the side of her face. "Kate! Kate what's wrong?"

"Aw... I... Ahhhhhhh!" Jack stood up, pulling back the blanket in a rush. What he saw then stopped him in his tracks.

She was lying in a puddle of blood.


	5. Chapter 5

**---**

Jack just stood there in silence, his eyes glued to the thick red liquid. His mind raced with questions.

"Kate? Kate?" He looked down to see her fingers digging into her legs. "Kate!" He leaned down and scooped her into his arms. She cringed at his touch. "What happened Kate?" He rocked back and forth.

"Jack... I..." The pain was too much. He shook his head, turning her around so she was laying on her stomach. He placed his hands on her back and messaged gently.

"Kate... why didn't you tell me?" Jack had been trying to convince himsefl that it wasn't what he thought it was. That what he believed was happening hadn't been going on at all.

He didn't want to believe that she had been pregnant and was now in the middle of a misscarrage.

But the look on her face was too much for him to be able to let himself fall for it. He had lost a child he knew even had, never even knew about. He drew in his breath.

She was tense, but as his fingers worked on her back, she began to loosen up a bit. Her muscle spasms calmed down slightly.

"Kate..." Jack's voice was a whisper. Kate groaned.

"I'm sorry Jack." Her voice was sincere. He wasn't sure if she meant she was sorry about not telling him about the baby, or if she was sorry it was gone now.

"Kate..." He sighed. Kneeding her back. She groaned a bit and bit her lip.

---

Kate put her hand on her stomach. She was getting bigger each day it seemed. She sighed content. Everything was perfect.

"Hey there Freckles." Kate stood up and turned to Sawyer.

"Hi there Tex." Kate smiled and walked up to Sawyer. He placed his lips over hers and she pushed towards him a bit.

"How've you been feelin'?" Kate smiled up at him.

"You asked me that about half an hour ago Sawyer." Sawyer sighed.

"Well I just want..." He smiled, pulling her close to him. "I just want to make sure you're ok. You and little Frimples." Kate rolled her eyes.

"You're not calling our child Frimples Sawyer." Sawyer smiled.

"We'll see." Sawyer placed his hand on her stomach.

---

Kate opened her eyes. There was another sharp pain in her stomach.

"Oh..." Jack came over to her side.

"What is it Kate?" Kate stood up.

"It still hurts a bit." Jack nodded.

"Yeah." He looked away from her. "It'll do that for a bit." He sighed, standing up.

"Jack..." Kate looked at him. 'Come on! Don't do this to me Jack. Aren't we already too far apart already? Isn't it impossible for things to get any worse between us? Can you honestly say you wanted this?'

"You gonna be ok?" Kate slowly nodded.

"Yeah. I'll be fine." Kate sighed.

"Good. I'm uh..." Jack looked down at her. "I'm gonna go for a walk."

"Jack please..." Kate reached up for Jack. He pulled back a bit.

"Kate... I just... I can't." He sighed. "I'm sorry." He walked past her quickly and out of the caves. Kate looked out after him sadly.

"So I guess it's pretty much over huh Jack?"

**TBC**


	6. Chapter 6

Kate took a long sip of water from the stream. Her stomach pains were finally dying down and she was very grateful for that. Before standing up, she splashed some water on her face and sighed.

"Where are you Jack?" She turned around, looking out over the now deserted caves. It was too quiet here. She had never before went out looking for Jack, she did usually enjoy her space. She didn't want to be alone now though. Not after this.

Taking a few steps forward, she doubted her decision.

"No Kate. Give him space. He needs to be alone for a bit. You'll each deal with this your own special ways." Kate sighed. "He seems to be a bit distracted. Like he's been through something like this before and…" Kate squared her jaw. "Jack. You made me push away my demons. Why should this be any different for you?" Kate decided.

Kate walked over to her bag and sighed, pulling out a new shirt and pair of pants. She took off her orange tanktop and replaced it with a dark blue one. She sighed, looking down at her pants. She unbuttoned and unzipped them and pulled them down, avoiding to look down at them.

Pulling the new pants up, she sighed and closed her eyes.

"Jack… please don't let this be it." She said it out loud, hoping that hearing it would make her want it more then she did, but she couldn't fight the feeling that she had known this was going to happen. That part of her had expected it to be quicker then this.

She knew that she had been holding on to the ghost of them for a long time. She knew that she hadn't been holding on for Jack. She'd been holding on for Sawyer. Because she couldn't let anything happen between them. Sawyer was the kind of guy who hurt women. Jack was the more stable one.

Or that's what she had thought. Apparently she'd made a lot of mistakes on the island. Not the least of which was her relationship with Jack.

Kate sighed and made her way to the jungle. She needed to find Jack.

---

Kate looked around the beach. People were going about their business. She couldn't see Jack anywhere.

"Hey Kate." Kate turned to see Claire walking up to her, holding Aaron on her hip. "How are you?" Kate looked at Aaron. She sighed, then looked back up to Claire.

"Hey Claire... you uh... you seen Jack around?" Claire scrunched up her face, trying to think.

"Um no. No I haven't." She shrugged. "Haven't seen him for awhile actually." Kate nodded a bit distracted/

"Oh Alright. Thanks anyways." Claire smiled.

"Yeah, sorry." Kate looked over to the jungle and remembered something. She prayed that she was wrong.

---

Kate heard noises as she neared the site on the cleaverly hidden path in the jungle. She heard talking and laughter.

"No..." She stepped forward in time to see Jack leaning over, his lips over Ana Lucia's. "Jack!" Kate gasped, tears in her eyes. Jack pulled away from the other woman.

"Kate! What are you..."

"Don't even. I was looking for you. Sorry to interupt." Kate backed up a bit.

"Kate." Jack stood up, looking back and forth between the two women. "I'm so sorry. I was going to tell you but..." He paused. "It was such a thrill. I never wanted to hurt you. So I didn't tell you about us. I was..."

"Save it Jack." Kate turned around.

"Kate..."

"Don't follow me Jack. It's over."

"I know." Kate's hands shook, she had done what she'd come to do. But she hadn't expected to find him with another woman. She didn't want to know how long it had been going on. So she took off at a run.

Kate ran as fast as she could. She ran until and pushed everything away from her. She ignored the tears on her face and ran, not even processing where she was going. Like it was all second nature to her. She was there quickly too.

She didn't say anything. Just came to a stop, breathing hard, her sobs racking her entire body.

"Freckles?" Sawyer said, turning around from the log of wood he had been chopping. Upon seeing the current state she was in, he droped the axe and got to her side quickly. "Kate what's wrong?" His voice was soft, caring.

Kate couldn't stand anymore. She collapsed into his arms and began to cry into his chest.


	7. Chapter 7

Kate leaned into Sawyer's embrace as they sat silent alone by a fire. He had his arms around her, resting on her stomach. They hadn't spoken of what had happened. Kate looked into the flames, letting her mind be engulfed by the smoke.

"Sawyer…" Kate finally spoke.

"Yeah?" Sawyer rested his chin on the top of her head. His grip on her tightened protectively and for moral support. Kate took a staggering breath and closed her eyes.

"I lost it. The baby. I..." Sawyer sighed. "And he left…"

"Left?" Kate looked up, her face bitter.

"Said he needed some air. He was going for a walk…" Kate gripped his wrist. "After a while I decided to go find him. To tell him…" Kate paused. "To tell him it wasn't working. To tell him it had to end." Sawyer pulled her even closer to himself. "And I saw… he… and that…"

"Kate?"

"He was with _her_ Sawyer. With Ana Lucia." Kate fought to keep control. She wasn't going to loose it again. She wasn't going to cry over him. Sawyer growled and pulled her head towards him, like if she looked at the fire any longer, it would somehow hurt her worse. "And after everything… and I stopped seeing you for him." Kate bit her lip. "I did everything he asked. All so I could avoid getting hurt…"

"By me." Kate looked up at Sawyer. She could see the pain in his eyes. "You did anything he wanted so I wouldn't be able to hurt you. You thought I'd…"

"Sawyer… I loved you. No, I Love you." She corrected herself. "But he… I guess I just figured that getting disappointed by someone you didn't love would be a lot less painful..." Sawyer sighed, breathing on her forehead.

"I won't hurt you Kate. I would never do that."

"I… I know…" Kate surprised herself. She did know that. Then why had she gone with Jack?

"But I don't want to be the rebound guy." Kate looked into Sawyer's eyes again.

"Sawyer… it's you. It's always been you." Sawyer nodded.

"I love you." The words came from deep inside of him. His voice was soft and caring. He meant it, and he felt the need to prove that to her more then anything right then.

"I love you too Sawyer." She tilted her head up as he leaned down to her. Their lips met and he worked his mouth against hers softly. Placing a hand on the back of her head, he deepened the kiss. Kate moaned into his mouth, all the problems of the day forgotten with the moments intensity.

Sawyer had never felt this way before. The passion in their kiss was the most intense he'd ever felt. This was all he wanted. She was all he wanted.

When they broke apart, he placed his chin on her forehead. They were both breathing deep and stunned.

"Kate?" The moment shattered, the two looked up to see a stunned Jack. "Oh real nice Sawyer. Taking advantage of the current situation!"

"What situation Doc? She was looking for you to end it." Sawyer paused. "But it seems to me it's been over a long time." Sawyer stood up, anger clear on his face. "What the hell were you thinking? You had her damn it! Why would you want anyone else? You had Kate!" 

"Because I didn't have her!" Kate froze, looking at Jack in shock.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Sawyer growled, clenching his fists. He wasn't sure if he could hold back any longer.

"You had her Sawyer. You've always had her. She never loved me, I knew that. Why else wouldn't I trust her to be with you?" Jack shook his head. "But you couldn't fix her Sawyer. You can't help anyone but yourself."

"Fix me?" Kate stood up now. Both men looked towards her. "You can't fix me. I'm not broken Jack!" Tears welled up in her eyes. "I wasn't... if there was one thing about you... it's I knew... I thought you'd never hurt me. But you did. Now the part of me that you broke... Sawyer can fix that. Sawyer can make me whole again." Kate paused. "You could never fix me Jack."

"Kate..." Jack stepped forward. Sawyer was standing right in front of him in a second.

"Don't even think about going anywhere near her." Jack ignored Sawyer.

"Kate..." Sawyer grabbed Jack's arm and pulled him sideways. He brought his fist to the side of Sawyer's face and swung. Jack fell to the ground, blood rushing to the cut. Sawyer growled and kicked Jack in the stomach. 

"Sawyer..." Kate ran up and grabbed his arm. "He gets it." Sawyer was torn. Jack deserved to die for what he did, but the look on Kate's face was pain. She needed him to take her away from here right now. She needed to be as far away from Jack as she could get.

Sawyer sighed, then kicked Jack extra hard once more.

"Alright Freckles. For you... this time." He put his arm around her and led her away.

"Thank you." Sawyer looked down at her.

"He comes near you and he's dead." Sawyer saw the smile that brought to Kate's face. He knew it wasn't about Jack, it was about him this time. "I'm gonna protect you Freckles. No one's gonna do anything to you again... less they got a death wish."


End file.
